Beautiful Darkness/Story
Prologue - ThunderClan, Snowfrost "Another wounded, Snowfrost. Is your den ready for another cat?" spoke a voice into the cavern of the medicine den. In the darkness, bright blue eyes blinked in shock. The cat rushed out and started at the cat laying on the ground. She then looked at the other cat, the one who had spoken. "What happened?" Snowfrost asked, worried. It was clear that she knew all too well as to how he got hurt. But, it was her duty to ask what happened. "Snowfrost, I'm sorry...about Stormdawn. He..got ambushed by ShadowClan. We were out on patrol, and he said something about a strange scent and he bolted off, without even waiting for us. We got there just in time, otherwise he wouldn't have made it." The tom shook his gray head mournfully. "I don't know how much more of this Flamestar can take..." Snowfrost let her tail rest on Gorsetail's shoulder. "It's not your fault..." she assured the gray and white tom. "ShadowClan will be punished by StarClan for their actions. I also wonder how much more Flamestar can take. This has got to be bad. ShadowClan hasn't gotten this bad since Tigerstar's reign, many many seasons ago." She glanced over at Flamestar's den, where the lichen was draped across the den entrance, disturbed only by the slight breeze flowing through the camp. It seemed that Flamestar was ignoring the whole camp. Nothing she said or did would ever erase the fact that her leader was changing. Chapter One - ThunderClan, Ravenheart ThunderClan had been left alone since that deadly attack by ShadowClan. However, something seemed different about ShadowClan. At the last Gathering, Dawnstar, ShadowClan's leader, acted like nothing had ever happened. There was proof that it did though. Stormdawn was still in the medicine den, with a wound that wouldn't heal, and Flamestar...well... he was still very isolated. There was nothing that Snowfrost could do - not even the best of medicine cats can heal a heart as shattered as his. "Ravenheart?" spoke a voice. Jolting the tom from his thoughts. He turned to see his brother, Cloudflight, looking at him with concern in his eyes. Along with Snowfrost, the three siblings tried their best to figure out what was wrong with their father. Not even Hollysong, their mother, could jolt him back into the strong leader he once was. "Ravenheart? Are you okay?" Spoke Cloudflight, his black tail flicking in confusion. Ravenheart flicked one white paw and raised it up to his ear and flicked again, trying to wake himself up. "Huh? Cloudflight? What? I'm just sleepy, that's all. I had a long evening, keeping watch..." Ravenheart's warrior vigil was the night before, and he was just waking up from a long nap. Cloudflight looked at his younger brother with amusement in his green gaze. "You would think that staying up all night would be good for you. I thought the night was perfect for a vigil - I would've joined you had Hawkpelt let me." Hawkpelt was the ThunderClan deputy and Cloudflight's former mentor. His brother had been a warrior for many moons, but sometimes still acted like an immature apprentice. "I think that he thought that the camp was well enough guarded with just you and Flowerpetal. Although I could have sworn I saw her taking a nap outside of the camp..." As if she had been summoned by Cloudflight, Flowerpetal walked into the warrior's den. "Cloudflight. I think you better get your facts straight before assuming something. At least I can stay up the whole night - remember the last time you were put on guard duty? You were out before the sun set!" Flowerpetal flicked her tail over Cloudflight's ear. "Oh, hush." Cloudflight felt his pelt grow hot at Flowerpetal's teasing. "Like I could help it! I was on patrol almost all day - added to the fact that I was on guard duty... It was enough to make even a StarClan cat tired." He got up and stalked out of the den, his tail flicking in agitation. Something 's up his pelt. Jeez, did StarClan bless him with a family of ticks or something? Ravenheart thought as his brother stormed out of the den. He looked at Flowerpetal, and she just shrugged. "You can't expect me to keep track of him, Ravenheart. I'm not his mother, nor his mate." Flowerpetal's tail flicked as she walked out of the warrior's den. Oi. ThunderClan is full of sourpusses recently. Maybe I'll go and see how Gingertail is doing. After all, she'll be having Flamestar's kits soon. Maybe he'll let me mentour one of them. Ravenheart's thoughts drifted to when he was a kit, right before his apprentice ceremony. He couldn't wait until his own apprentice felt that same excitement. Chapter Two - ThunderClan, Lawliet "Snowfrost, you better hurry! Gingertail's kits are coming!" Flamestar's call rang throughout the clearing. With the battles between ThunderClan and ShadowClan forgotten for the moment, Snowfrost could actually concentrate on what mattered most to her - taking care of her clan. "Lawliet! Let's get going. Bring the borage and meet me in the nursery. You know what they should look like by now. I need to go and check on Gingertail." Snowfrost dashed out of the den before Lawliet could get a word in edgewise. The former loner wondered what ever possessed him to take up such a position, but then he was reminded that it was because of his great-grandfather, a former ThunderClan cat himself, that he decided to come to the Clan he had a right to call home. "Snowfrost, you could give me a few seconds before you rush out on me!" Lawliet yowled and sped out of the den, but not before making sure to grab the leaves that queens used for their milk. Lawliet dashed to the nursery on the other side of camp. He didn't want Snowfrost even more furious at him. She could have such a temper some days, and it annoyed the young apprentice to no end. By them time he walked in, Snowfrost had everything ready for him. He looked at Snowfrost, who nodded. It was time for the kits to come. Not long after Lawliet started to help, Gingertail's kits were born. Two toms and a little she-cat. All three of them little gingers, like their parents. "Lawliet, get Flamestar. He should see these beautiful kits of his." Snowfrost tilted her head towards the entrance of the nursery, where she could just make out the tabby tail of Flamestar. Nodding, the apprentice stepped outside. "Flamestar," he started, dipping his head to show respect "Snowfrost says you can come in to see your kits. Great StarClan, they are beautiful!" Flamestar's tail flicked. "So that means Gingertail is okay?" Lawliet grinned. He was glad that he was worried about his mate. Some fathers didn't even care about their mates once they'd given birth to their kits. "Don't worry, she's just fine. Now get in there and see your kits." The moment Flamestar saw Gingertail and their kits, his eyes softened. "Oh, my StarClan... Gingertail... They're beautiful!" He looked at Snowfrost and Lawliet. "Thank you for everything." Snowfrost bowed her head. She knew this meant it was time for them to leave. "Gingertail, I'll be back to check on you.. But first. Flamestar, what are you going to name your kits. You have two toms and a she-cat." Flamestar looked at Gingertail. They had already decided. "The tom with the blue eyes shall be called Firekit, in honor of Firestar, great leader of ThunderClan. I'd like to call the other tom... Lionkit." Snowfrost nodded. They were excellent names. "And the little she-cat? What shall you name her?" Gingertail spoke this time. "Dovekit. In hopes that peace may soon come for our Clans." Category:Fanfiction Category:Cloudskye's Articles